A WOMAN who crashed into parked cars close to Lisnaskea PSNI Station after an evening drinking with friends has been disqualified from driving.
Gillian Morrison (47) of Highgrove, Lisnaskea appeared at Enniskillen Magistrates Court on Wednesday where she pleaded guilty to driving while unfit and failing to provide a specimen.
On September 15th last, at around 12.30am, police received a report of a traffic collision close to the station on the Moorlough Road in Lisnaskea. A car had collided with two parked cars, causing substantial damage.
On arrival officers found Morrison’s black Ford Focus on the road, and noted the damage to the other cars. They spoke with the defendant, who appeared as though she had been drinking. When Morrison failed a roadside breath test she was arrested and brought to Omagh Police Station.
While at the station Morrison only provided one of the two required breath specimens for an evidential test, meaning a proper reading could not be recorded. She did not give police a reason why she couldn’t give the second sample.
In interview Morrison was forthright, telling officers she had had a few beers and had decided to take a chance and drive the short distance home as she had her keys with her.
Defence barrister Stephen Fitzpatrick said Morrison hadn’t given the second breath sample as was in a stressful situation and had panicked.
He explained on the evening in question Morrison had fallen in to the company of friends she had not seen for some time. After having some drinks she tried to get a lift home but no taxis were available. The barrister said Morrison knows she made a foolish decision.
Mr Fitzpatrick said Morrison, who has been driving for more than 40 years without incident, lived one mile away from where the collision happened. He claimed a cat had ran out in front of her, causing her to swerve, and “with drink onboard”, this resulted in the collision.
District Judge Micheal Ranaghan fined Morrison a total of £300 and disqualified her from driving for 18 months.
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